CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The leader of South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party said Wednesday she will join a proposed national unity government, a step toward breaking the political deadlock after a longstanding ruling African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in the elections. last month’s elections.
The announcement by Velenkosini Hlabisa means an agreement between some major parties to form a coalition government with the ANC becomes more likely before Friday’s deadline, when South Africa’s new parliament will convene for the first time since the May 29 elections. come and will try to elect a new parliament. president.
The ANC had been the ruling party for thirty years since the end of the white minority apartheid system in 1994, but received only 40% of the vote in these elections. It remains the largest party but must strike a deal with others to govern and re-elect President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second and final term.
South Africans vote for parties in national elections and are awarded seats in parliament based on their share of the vote. Lawmakers then choose the president of Africa’s most industrialized country.
The ANC proposed last week to form a government of national unity instead of a narrower coalition with one or two parties and invited all seventeen other parties represented in parliament to be part of it. Some have refused.
Hlabisa told reporters that the IFP was willing to join a unity government that would also include the ANC and the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s main opposition party that received the second largest share of the vote.
The IFP will do this “in the interest of our country and a stable government,” Hlabisa said. The party receives most of its support from the Zulu ethnic group.
The centrist Democratic Alliance has indicated it is also willing to join a unity government, but has not yet made a final announcement while it talks to the ANC about the details.
The ANC, the DA and the IFP together would hold a clear majority of the seats.
Two other major parties, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters and former President Jacob Zuma’s new MK party, have refused to join the unity deal. MK has filed court papers to stop the first meeting of parliament and has objected to the outcome of the election, claiming there were irregularities.
South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission admitted there were logistical problems and noted objections from several parties, but officially announced the results on June 2, saying the elections were free and fair. Independent observers also declared it free and fair.
MK said its 58 new lawmakers would not attend Parliament if it goes ahead on Friday. But even if the MK boycotts, South Africa’s constitution says only a third of the 400 MPs must be present for a quorum for the vote to elect the president to go ahead.
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